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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As a middle grade book I think it does the job at being able to capture the attention of children who are interested in magic, magic schools, etc. our main character Ivy seems to be a little lacking in the common sense which was a frustration to read about. I liked the magic system/world that was created I only wish the book delved into more details describing things in general. I think a middle grade reader would enjoy this book so I’ll have to pass it along to my brother!
✨The Crowns of Croswald✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was blessed with this e-book and voluntarily and happily give my review which has no bearing on the gift.
The Crowns of Croswald is an adorably clever upper middle grade novel that is fast-paced, witty, and wholesome. It is full of unique ideas, found family, hilarious dialogue, and a sweet budding romance.
Ivy is an orphan and a kitchen maid who finds herself at a school of magic seeking answers to unbidden dreams and strange magic happenings. She is a kind hearted, thoughtful, 16 year old who finds out she is something more! Her friends, Rebecca and Fyn (who I LOVE and want to see more of), join her on her adventures of discovering the long lost and forgotten Wandering Family.
Night did such a whimsical job with her magic system, world building, and characters. I honestly loved every side character that entered the pages, even if it was just once. They typically made me laugh. It all very much reminded me of a less dark Harry Potter if it were a female lead, but all in its own unique way.
I am most definitely interested in reading the sequel. This book is one that I find perfect for my shelves where I know my kiddos can reach. I found nothing negative within its cover.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was blessed with this e-book and voluntarily and happily give my review which has no bearing on the gift.
The Crowns of Croswald is an adorably clever upper middle grade novel that is fast-paced, witty, and wholesome. It is full of unique ideas, found family, hilarious dialogue, and a sweet budding romance.
Ivy is an orphan and a kitchen maid who finds herself at a school of magic seeking answers to unbidden dreams and strange magic happenings. She is a kind hearted, thoughtful, 16 year old who finds out she is something more! Her friends, Rebecca and Fyn (who I LOVE and want to see more of), join her on her adventures of discovering the long lost and forgotten Wandering Family.
Night did such a whimsical job with her magic system, world building, and characters. I honestly loved every side character that entered the pages, even if it was just once. They typically made me laugh. It all very much reminded me of a less dark Harry Potter if it were a female lead, but all in its own unique way.
I am most definitely interested in reading the sequel. This book is one that I find perfect for my shelves where I know my kiddos can reach. I found nothing negative within its cover.
In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...
The Crowns of Croswald by DE Night
Personal Rating: 4/5 ✨
DISCLAIMER: Big thanks to NetGalley, DE Night, and Stories Untold Press for providing me the eARC of this book. However, all of these are my personal and honest opinions. It has not impacted my review, at all.
Ivy Lovely was 16 and she had never known her parents, more so her past life. She was basically a maid and had only a dwarf named Rimbrick as a friend. So, one day, Rimbrick helped her to escape from the castle she was working at and all of a sudden, she was accepted to the Halls of Ivy, a magical school in Croswald, where she was going to study to become a Scrivenerist. Little that she knows that her story is entangled with the town Croswald itself.
Personally, this was a ride for me. I was on the verge of a reading slump and this book helped me to get through that. It was an enjoyable read especially because it's right up in my alley which is fantasy and middle grade lol
Characters: 4/5✨
There are a few important characters in this book like Ivy, Rebecca, Fyn, and Derwin Edgar Night himself. When you read the book, you will feel that they have no connections whatsoever with Ivy being....well, Ivy. But all of them seemingly have interesting chemistry with one another. Ivy herself is a well-developed character. She did not know that she had this underlying strength within herself and I can foretell that in the next book that she will grow into a very complex, well-written main character.
World Building: 5/5✨
If you want detailed, super amazing, mesmerizing world-building descriptions of a middle-grade book, look no further. Some would actually compare this book with Harry Potter and I can kind of see that but honestly, the author wrote a very complex world that just immerses you into it that you can just get lost in the words. I honestly was taken by surprise because I did not expect a middle-grade book can actually make me feel enthralled while reading it.
Magic System: 4/5✨
If you are into light academia, this book is for you. One of the main setting of this book is a library and there are so many stories to tell in this setting alone. There are a lot of interesting elements when it comes to writing a fantasy book, and as a young reader, you would tend to be confused. However, that was not the case with this book. It does well in explaining to the readers in their dialogues among the characters. We're talking about The Forgotten room, bearded clouds, cloaked guards, queens with magical crowns, and of course Scrivenerist with their magical quills. It's so well thought out that I felt like it was an element of surprise for me.
Story Plot: 3/5✨
I think, that because this book is the first book of a series, that the writer emphasizes a lot on the world-building and magic system, and somehow she kept the story plot simple and predictable. However, there was this plot twist that I did not see coming. So I'm giving her props to that lol
Writing: 4/5 ✨
For a middle-grade book, it was quite hard to understand. I can imagine 14-year-old me would find it hard to understand and might not even finish this book. And even the pace is quite slow, I would say. However, I feel that once they read the first 15% of the book and with all the world-building, it is easier for them to understand. With this, I feel that the book was definitely a page-turner for me.
Final thoughts:
It was an enjoyable read, though at first, I felt like it was a bit pretentious. However, I feel that this book has an interesting premise with likable characters, a very interesting world-building, and a magic system that is well thought out. I would definitely recommend this to any of my friends who has a teenage child back home who would love reading fantasy books.
The Crowns of Croswald by DE Night
Personal Rating: 4/5 ✨
DISCLAIMER: Big thanks to NetGalley, DE Night, and Stories Untold Press for providing me the eARC of this book. However, all of these are my personal and honest opinions. It has not impacted my review, at all.
Ivy Lovely was 16 and she had never known her parents, more so her past life. She was basically a maid and had only a dwarf named Rimbrick as a friend. So, one day, Rimbrick helped her to escape from the castle she was working at and all of a sudden, she was accepted to the Halls of Ivy, a magical school in Croswald, where she was going to study to become a Scrivenerist. Little that she knows that her story is entangled with the town Croswald itself.
Personally, this was a ride for me. I was on the verge of a reading slump and this book helped me to get through that. It was an enjoyable read especially because it's right up in my alley which is fantasy and middle grade lol
Characters: 4/5✨
There are a few important characters in this book like Ivy, Rebecca, Fyn, and Derwin Edgar Night himself. When you read the book, you will feel that they have no connections whatsoever with Ivy being....well, Ivy. But all of them seemingly have interesting chemistry with one another. Ivy herself is a well-developed character. She did not know that she had this underlying strength within herself and I can foretell that in the next book that she will grow into a very complex, well-written main character.
World Building: 5/5✨
If you want detailed, super amazing, mesmerizing world-building descriptions of a middle-grade book, look no further. Some would actually compare this book with Harry Potter and I can kind of see that but honestly, the author wrote a very complex world that just immerses you into it that you can just get lost in the words. I honestly was taken by surprise because I did not expect a middle-grade book can actually make me feel enthralled while reading it.
Magic System: 4/5✨
If you are into light academia, this book is for you. One of the main setting of this book is a library and there are so many stories to tell in this setting alone. There are a lot of interesting elements when it comes to writing a fantasy book, and as a young reader, you would tend to be confused. However, that was not the case with this book. It does well in explaining to the readers in their dialogues among the characters. We're talking about The Forgotten room, bearded clouds, cloaked guards, queens with magical crowns, and of course Scrivenerist with their magical quills. It's so well thought out that I felt like it was an element of surprise for me.
Story Plot: 3/5✨
I think, that because this book is the first book of a series, that the writer emphasizes a lot on the world-building and magic system, and somehow she kept the story plot simple and predictable. However, there was this plot twist that I did not see coming. So I'm giving her props to that lol
Writing: 4/5 ✨
For a middle-grade book, it was quite hard to understand. I can imagine 14-year-old me would find it hard to understand and might not even finish this book. And even the pace is quite slow, I would say. However, I feel that once they read the first 15% of the book and with all the world-building, it is easier for them to understand. With this, I feel that the book was definitely a page-turner for me.
Final thoughts:
It was an enjoyable read, though at first, I felt like it was a bit pretentious. However, I feel that this book has an interesting premise with likable characters, a very interesting world-building, and a magic system that is well thought out. I would definitely recommend this to any of my friends who has a teenage child back home who would love reading fantasy books.
Magical school, a girl finding out who she is, adventure, and wonderful creatures and characters? Sign me up!
Ivy Lovely has spent 16 years of her life as a servant in a castle, only for everything to be flipped upside down when she crosses an enchanted boundary and finds out she's magical. Ivy attends the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magic, either given to them by blood, or the power of Croswald's gems. Along the way, Ivy finds herself in a great number of interesting situations and learns more about herself and Croswald than she bargained for.
This book has some really wonderful world building! It's intricate and vibrant and really pulls you into the world right alongside Ivy. Though some have mentioned this book reminding them of Harry Potter, I think Night does a great job differentiating and making this world truly unique and special. The characters are also incredible. Ivy and Rebecca are fun characters that, though they are 16, many middle grade readers would likely find relatable. This is a fast paced read that I think many fans of middle grade fiction would really enjoy!
The only thing keeping this from a five star rating is that I do wish some specifically character related things had been fleshed out a little more. The Dark Queen, Damaris, and the Selector most notably. The fast pace of the book made it a quick and fun read but it also felt at times like things were a little rushed because of it. That being said I'm sure we will find out more about these characters in future books and it will only serve to make the world that's being built that much better!
I would definitely recommend this book to any middle grade fiction readers who love fast paced books filled with adventure, mystery, magic, and imagining what it may be like to attend a magical school!
Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review!
Ivy Lovely has spent 16 years of her life as a servant in a castle, only for everything to be flipped upside down when she crosses an enchanted boundary and finds out she's magical. Ivy attends the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magic, either given to them by blood, or the power of Croswald's gems. Along the way, Ivy finds herself in a great number of interesting situations and learns more about herself and Croswald than she bargained for.
This book has some really wonderful world building! It's intricate and vibrant and really pulls you into the world right alongside Ivy. Though some have mentioned this book reminding them of Harry Potter, I think Night does a great job differentiating and making this world truly unique and special. The characters are also incredible. Ivy and Rebecca are fun characters that, though they are 16, many middle grade readers would likely find relatable. This is a fast paced read that I think many fans of middle grade fiction would really enjoy!
The only thing keeping this from a five star rating is that I do wish some specifically character related things had been fleshed out a little more. The Dark Queen, Damaris, and the Selector most notably. The fast pace of the book made it a quick and fun read but it also felt at times like things were a little rushed because of it. That being said I'm sure we will find out more about these characters in future books and it will only serve to make the world that's being built that much better!
I would definitely recommend this book to any middle grade fiction readers who love fast paced books filled with adventure, mystery, magic, and imagining what it may be like to attend a magical school!
Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review!
A physical ARC of this book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Instead of just the book, I was sent a box full of magical stuff about the story. I was actually glad that there wasn't all those frizzy paper stuff (um do you know what I mean) inside.
WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT
I was interested in The Crowns of Croswald in the first place because there was a magic school which sounded exactly like something I'd like.
This girl, Ivy, was originally a scullery maid at castle, taking care of the dragons which were used to cook food. And there were scrivenists who could do magic with their quills (wands for the Harry Potter fans). One day, well, you guessed it, she was admitted into the Halls of Ivy aka the magic school and the adventures began.
PLOT
It was a bit slow at first but it did get faster as the story goes.
You can definitely see those Harry Potter elements in this book. So, if you love HP, you'd probably like this book too.
I love the library (the den) in the Halls of Ivy. It sounds so amazing. There were infinite copies of books so they weren't go missing. There were different types of study rooms for different subjects, which sounded perfect for me.
The main reason for this awesome den is that every scrivenist was supposed to love reading. Imagine a school with everyone being a bookworm, I probably wouldn't feel so special as right now. XD
If you've been keeping up with my reading, you'd know that I very rarely don't like the romance. No matter how unhealthy it is (*cough* Twilight *cough*), I usually love the romance, especially when the interactions get adorable. But I don't like the romance in this book. The whole time they were talking about this crush or whatever it is, I would be like 'Noooooo please nooooo just let them be friends'. The romance was too rushed. The last second she kinda hated him and then the next second she's in love with him? Really? They just met and he's thinking of her so much that he went to the girls' dormitory to see what had happened to her? Really?
The friendship between Ivy and Rebecca was pretty good.
When everything started to get revealed, things were rushed again and things got even more confusing.
But the Halls of Ivy was a bit weird. It's so close to the Hallow Shaft, where the almost-dead went. And it didn't have any kind of protection against the Dark Queen. Wouldn't it be too dangerous for the students? Why would anyone even go to that school?
CHARACTERS
Ivy, like Harry, did have a tendency to get into trouble. Fyn was weird and I don’t like him. Rebecca was a good friend and I really hope we would be able to see more of their friendship in the sequel.
WRITING
The writing does take some time to get used to. It’s not particularly beautiful or descriptive. But it’s also not one that you can read fast. Personally, I would like more conversations and less description.
OVERALL
3.5 out of 5
It’s not great but it’s not bad. I would still like to read the next book in this series. 😊
Thank you for reading! Keep reading crazily!
Instead of just the book, I was sent a box full of magical stuff about the story. I was actually glad that there wasn't all those frizzy paper stuff (um do you know what I mean) inside.
WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT
I was interested in The Crowns of Croswald in the first place because there was a magic school which sounded exactly like something I'd like.
This girl, Ivy, was originally a scullery maid at castle, taking care of the dragons which were used to cook food. And there were scrivenists who could do magic with their quills (wands for the Harry Potter fans). One day, well, you guessed it, she was admitted into the Halls of Ivy aka the magic school and the adventures began.
PLOT
It was a bit slow at first but it did get faster as the story goes.
You can definitely see those Harry Potter elements in this book. So, if you love HP, you'd probably like this book too.
I love the library (the den) in the Halls of Ivy. It sounds so amazing. There were infinite copies of books so they weren't go missing. There were different types of study rooms for different subjects, which sounded perfect for me.
The main reason for this awesome den is that every scrivenist was supposed to love reading. Imagine a school with everyone being a bookworm, I probably wouldn't feel so special as right now. XD
If you've been keeping up with my reading, you'd know that I very rarely don't like the romance. No matter how unhealthy it is (*cough* Twilight *cough*), I usually love the romance, especially when the interactions get adorable. But I don't like the romance in this book. The whole time they were talking about this crush or whatever it is, I would be like 'Noooooo please nooooo just let them be friends'. The romance was too rushed. The last second she kinda hated him and then the next second she's in love with him? Really? They just met and he's thinking of her so much that he went to the girls' dormitory to see what had happened to her? Really?
The friendship between Ivy and Rebecca was pretty good.
When everything started to get revealed, things were rushed again and things got even more confusing.
But the Halls of Ivy was a bit weird. It's so close to the Hallow Shaft, where the almost-dead went. And it didn't have any kind of protection against the Dark Queen. Wouldn't it be too dangerous for the students? Why would anyone even go to that school?
CHARACTERS
Ivy, like Harry, did have a tendency to get into trouble. Fyn was weird and I don’t like him. Rebecca was a good friend and I really hope we would be able to see more of their friendship in the sequel.
WRITING
The writing does take some time to get used to. It’s not particularly beautiful or descriptive. But it’s also not one that you can read fast. Personally, I would like more conversations and less description.
OVERALL
3.5 out of 5
It’s not great but it’s not bad. I would still like to read the next book in this series. 😊
Thank you for reading! Keep reading crazily!
This would be such a great read for a Harry Potter fan! I found the world intriguing and full of interesting characters and creatures. It was fast paced, but easy enough to keep straight.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The Crowns of Crosswald is the first in a young adult fantasy series in which a 16-year-old Ivy Lovely is discovers she has magic and is whisked away from her old life as a castle maid and to a new magic school where she will learn to be a scrivener.
While at first glance this might seem kind of tropey, I enjoyed my read of this novel. The fantasy setting has lots of different magical elements from beginning to end. Some of my favorite scenes take place in Ivy’s classes where she gets to know more about what magic can do. The idea of the how one could control their own little magic world for a short period of time inside of a bottle was so new and fun.
Many of the side characters that Ivy encounters feel fully fleshed out and get to show off different ways that this fantasy world works. Ivy’s roomate Rebecca and her animal based powers was a good example of this. The curses aren’t just something that goes away, even for powerful magic users, and I was interested in seeing more of the dynamic between the people with crown based magic vs scriveners. Based on the ending, I’m sure this is something that will be touched on in subsequent books.
My main issue with this novel is that I wish it was longer. With an extra 50 to 100 pages the author would have been able to extend some of the plot lines out to add more tension and conflict for Ivy.
Overall if you are looking for a fun read that takes place in a magical school, I would definitely recommend this, especially to younger readers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Crowns of Crosswald is the first in a young adult fantasy series in which a 16-year-old Ivy Lovely is discovers she has magic and is whisked away from her old life as a castle maid and to a new magic school where she will learn to be a scrivener.
While at first glance this might seem kind of tropey, I enjoyed my read of this novel. The fantasy setting has lots of different magical elements from beginning to end. Some of my favorite scenes take place in Ivy’s classes where she gets to know more about what magic can do. The idea of the how one could control their own little magic world for a short period of time inside of a bottle was so new and fun.
Many of the side characters that Ivy encounters feel fully fleshed out and get to show off different ways that this fantasy world works. Ivy’s roomate Rebecca and her animal based powers was a good example of this. The curses aren’t just something that goes away, even for powerful magic users, and I was interested in seeing more of the dynamic between the people with crown based magic vs scriveners. Based on the ending, I’m sure this is something that will be touched on in subsequent books.
My main issue with this novel is that I wish it was longer. With an extra 50 to 100 pages the author would have been able to extend some of the plot lines out to add more tension and conflict for Ivy.
Overall if you are looking for a fun read that takes place in a magical school, I would definitely recommend this, especially to younger readers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The Crowns of Crosswald is the first in a young adult fantasy series in which a 16-year-old Ivy Lovely is discovers she has magic and is whisked away from her old life as a castle maid and to a new magic school where she will learn to be a scrivener.
While at first glance this might seem kind of tropey, I enjoyed my read of this novel. The fantasy setting has lots of different magical elements from beginning to end. Some of my favorite scenes take place in Ivy’s classes where she gets to know more about what magic can do. The idea of the how one could control their own little magic world for a short period of time inside of a bottle was so new and fun.
Many of the side characters that Ivy encounters feel fully fleshed out and get to show off different ways that this fantasy world works. Ivy’s roomate Rebecca and her animal based powers was a good example of this. The curses aren’t just something that goes away, even for powerful magic users, and I was interested in seeing more of the dynamic between the people with crown based magic vs scriveners. Based on the ending, I’m sure this is something that will be touched on in subsequent books.
My main issue with this novel is that I wish it was longer. With an extra 50 to 100 pages the author would have been able to extend some of the plot lines out to add more tension and conflict for Ivy.
Overall if you are looking for a fun read that takes place in a magical school, I would definitely recommend this, especially to younger readers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Crowns of Crosswald is the first in a young adult fantasy series in which a 16-year-old Ivy Lovely is discovers she has magic and is whisked away from her old life as a castle maid and to a new magic school where she will learn to be a scrivener.
While at first glance this might seem kind of tropey, I enjoyed my read of this novel. The fantasy setting has lots of different magical elements from beginning to end. Some of my favorite scenes take place in Ivy’s classes where she gets to know more about what magic can do. The idea of the how one could control their own little magic world for a short period of time inside of a bottle was so new and fun.
Many of the side characters that Ivy encounters feel fully fleshed out and get to show off different ways that this fantasy world works. Ivy’s roomate Rebecca and her animal based powers was a good example of this. The curses aren’t just something that goes away, even for powerful magic users, and I was interested in seeing more of the dynamic between the people with crown based magic vs scriveners. Based on the ending, I’m sure this is something that will be touched on in subsequent books.
My main issue with this novel is that I wish it was longer. With an extra 50 to 100 pages the author would have been able to extend some of the plot lines out to add more tension and conflict for Ivy.
Overall if you are looking for a fun read that takes place in a magical school, I would definitely recommend this, especially to younger readers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Stories Untold Press for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Crowns of Croswald is a fun fantasy series for middle grade readers. It is quite similar to Harry Potter in many aspects, yet it has its own unique world and brand of magic. Like Harry Potter, Ivy is a young woman who has grown up in humble circumstances. She is treated poorly at the Castle Plum where she works as a scaldrony maid who cares for the dragons that heat the ovens of the castle. When she receives a mysterious invitation to attend a magical school, the Halls of Ivy, she begins a fantastical journey of discovering more about her true origins, meeting loyal friends, and encountering bullies, as well as a nasty villain.
Though the general story arc has similarities to Harry Potter, there are also differences that make it unique. First, the magical system is different. Royalty uses stones in crowns to make magic and then there are the scriveners who work for the royal families and use their quills to create magic. There are all sorts of magical creatures who live in this world, like haries (fairy like creatures who basically live in lanterns and provide the light). There are also some unusual locations like the Hollow Shaft that appears out of the water and disappears almost as quickly, as well as worlds within bottles called glanageries. There is a school master called the Selector who is a sort of Dumbledore figure, but is much more mysterious and it’s unclear whose side she is on. There is also an evil Queen who is followed around by her evil minions called the Cloaked Brood.
As a reader, this magical world was somewhat confusing. I felt like I was plunged into the world without much explanation. I think including a map of the world and also a glossary at the back containing information on the magic, money system, food, characters, etc. would have been extremely helpful.
There was plenty of action in this story and uses of magic. The one problem that I kept having was seeing a connection between events. It seemed a little disjointed and I wanted a bit more of an explanation for what was happening before being plunged into something else. It was because of this that it took me awhile to get into the book. I feel like if I read it a second time, I would find it more enjoyable because then I would better understand the world and see the connections knowing what’s coming.
I really enjoyed the side characters. I liked Fyn and Rebecca especially and I wished that they were explored more than they were. Unfortunately, I had a difficult time liking the main character Ivy. She seemed too self absorbed and cared little about how her actions affected her friends and other people. For instance, her friend Rebecca gets stuck in this forgotten room. Ivy knows where she is, but does little to try to rescue her from the situation. She involves Fyn in a scheme when leaving the school only to put him in grave danger with little thought to him. Hopefully, she becomes more likable and her character develops more in the next books.
All in all, I liked this book. I think Harry Potter fans who love the story and enjoy characters with a somewhat similar arc will enjoy this book. I recognize that I’m not the target audience for this book, but I think middle grade readers will like the magical world. This would be a good adventure to introduce them to the fantasy genre. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars, but ultimately went with three because of the issues previously discussed. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
Though the general story arc has similarities to Harry Potter, there are also differences that make it unique. First, the magical system is different. Royalty uses stones in crowns to make magic and then there are the scriveners who work for the royal families and use their quills to create magic. There are all sorts of magical creatures who live in this world, like haries (fairy like creatures who basically live in lanterns and provide the light). There are also some unusual locations like the Hollow Shaft that appears out of the water and disappears almost as quickly, as well as worlds within bottles called glanageries. There is a school master called the Selector who is a sort of Dumbledore figure, but is much more mysterious and it’s unclear whose side she is on. There is also an evil Queen who is followed around by her evil minions called the Cloaked Brood.
As a reader, this magical world was somewhat confusing. I felt like I was plunged into the world without much explanation. I think including a map of the world and also a glossary at the back containing information on the magic, money system, food, characters, etc. would have been extremely helpful.
There was plenty of action in this story and uses of magic. The one problem that I kept having was seeing a connection between events. It seemed a little disjointed and I wanted a bit more of an explanation for what was happening before being plunged into something else. It was because of this that it took me awhile to get into the book. I feel like if I read it a second time, I would find it more enjoyable because then I would better understand the world and see the connections knowing what’s coming.
I really enjoyed the side characters. I liked Fyn and Rebecca especially and I wished that they were explored more than they were. Unfortunately, I had a difficult time liking the main character Ivy. She seemed too self absorbed and cared little about how her actions affected her friends and other people. For instance, her friend Rebecca gets stuck in this forgotten room. Ivy knows where she is, but does little to try to rescue her from the situation. She involves Fyn in a scheme when leaving the school only to put him in grave danger with little thought to him. Hopefully, she becomes more likable and her character develops more in the next books.
All in all, I liked this book. I think Harry Potter fans who love the story and enjoy characters with a somewhat similar arc will enjoy this book. I recognize that I’m not the target audience for this book, but I think middle grade readers will like the magical world. This would be a good adventure to introduce them to the fantasy genre. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars, but ultimately went with three because of the issues previously discussed. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.